Hardy, evergreen, and fast growing dark emerald green leaves with prominent veins grace the long-lasting Hedera helix, commonly known as English ivy. The glossy sheen of the 3-5 lobed leaves are trademark English-countryside additions to any garden-scape decor. The perennial, woody vine is self-clinging and as such, English ivy will be perfect as a trailing ground cover lawn alternative, especially beneath large trees or for covering large bald spots where grass refuses to grow. Of course if you seek that cottage, historic feel, it is always a wonderful selection for climbing buildings, fences, trellises and walls.
English Ivy puts up with quite a wide range of soils though she prefers a rich loam; she'll grow in average to medium moisture and well-drained soils and likes to dry out between watering. She performs at her peak in part to full shade but will put up with full sun as well with her best variegation in part sun. Some shade is ideal if you are in Zones 7-10, but you'll be happy to know she does tolerate drought.
Things to Note You will want to use caution when planting English Ivy if you live in a climate with mild winters where she will be very invasive. Consider using only in contained areas where you have the final say in how far she grows.
If you are considering purchasing this plant in bare root form, please read about bare root plants so you know what to expect.
General information about Hedera helix:
Hedera ivies are tricky to water properly, especially if planted in summer.
See the Care tab for advice about watering and the Shipping tab if you are considering planting them in warm weather.
Hedera ivies tolerate full sun in northern zones (up to zone 6) and require at least partial shade in zones 7 and above.
The word "helix" is derived from the Ancient Greek word for "twist, turn" and refers to spirals in the leaves.
Hedera helix plants are also known as Ivy, Common Ivy, or English Ivy and are native to most of Europe and southwest Asia.
When there are suitable surfaces (e.g. trees, cliffs, walls), this
evergreenclimbs
up to 100 feet; when there are no vertical surfaces, it grows similarly well as a ground cover.
Hedera helix's short rootlets adhere to tree bark and rock, aiding longer climbs.
The leaves are alternate and 1 1/2- to 3-inch long, with 1- to 4-inch long
petioles.
Hedera offers two different leaf types when she is exposed to
full sun
locations like the top of a rock face, a southern building façade or the crowns of trees, creating lovely interest. These leaves,
palmately lobed
juvenile leaves on creeping and climbing stems, and
unlobed,
cordate,
adult leaves on fertile flowering stems, add both texture and variety with juvenile shoots being slender, flexible and willing to climb using tiny roots to attach themselves to surfaces like rock or tree bark and adults shoots that are both thicker and self-supporting with no roots.
In late Autumn, expect small, individual flowers blossoming in 1 to 2 inch greenish-yellow
umbels.
and in late winter, expect small blackberries that will thrill a variety of
birds.
Gardeners love Hedera Ivies because of their uniquely-shaped leaves and their
evergreen
often
variegated
foliage that promises to add texture, variety and constant color to their landscape. Famously, Hedera is known for its skill in adorning unsightly walls.
Things to Note
The esthetic, camouflaging of Hedera lands her into a bit of a debate. There has been disagreement as to whether it is harmful to the object being climbed by ivy; the consensus in Europe is that the effect is mostly insignificant. In fact, soundly-mortared walls are generally considered to be impenetrable to ivies’ climbing roots. Those who follow this frame of thinking will argue that walls are actually protected from weathering due to a shield of ivy keeping the elements off mortar. Walls with already weak or loose mortar, however, may be susceptible to damage, as ivy can cause breaks by rooting into the mortar. Subsequent removal of the ivy can be difficult, and is likely to cause more damage than the ivy itself. Modern mortars (that contain Portland cement and a little lime) are stronger than older mixes; the latter were largely composed of sand and lime. Most mortar mixes changed to contain Portland cement in the 1930s, though soft mortar is still used when laying softer brick.
At the same time, when the object is living, such as a tree, both may compete for ground nutrients and water, and trees with heavy growths of ivy are more liable to
windthrow,
North America sees greater dangers, as trees run the risk of perishing after becoming overworked. This could be due to the difference between native plants and those plants being introduced from other regions. In North America, Hederas lack the natural pests and diseases that control its vigor in native areas. Gardeners will want to consider the potential of this ivy to create a
vigorous,
dense,
shade-tolerantevergreen
that can
spread
over large areas and out-compete native vegetation.
I ordered 24 English Ivy plants. They came well packed, size was as advertised and the quality of the plants was just wonderful! Would definitely order through this web site again. Quality product.
Unless you know what you're doing, we do not recommend planting any Hedera ivies without a good month to get established before the heat of summer. We strongly recommend that you plant before mid-April or after mid-September (up to May 1 is OK in northern zones). It's tricky to water enough without over-watering (you must let the soil dry out between watering, but no so much that the plants die).
You may order them, but understand that we will not replace or refund should any perish. (more)
You may specify a future ship date when you checkout.
FREE SHIPPING - Classy Groundcovers offers free shipping, and your plants never spend more
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The main reason why we recommend that you do not plant Hedera ivies in the summer is because it is tricky to water enough without over-watering.
You must let the soil dry out between watering, but not so much that the plants die.
Stick your finger three inches into the soil, if you feel any moisture at all, do not water them.
In areas where spreading is not desired, trim back the runners before they take root or prune ruthlessly once a year.
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